Office of the Historian

740.0011 European War 1939/16957: Telegram

The Minister in Finland (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State 85

Helsinki, November 29, 1941—5 p.m.
[Received 6:02 p.m.]

619. My Nos. 614, yesterday and 617, today.86 I am informed that arrival of British note during yesterday’s joint meeting of Cabinet and High Command caused effect of uncertainty which was chiefly noticeable in President, Field Marshal Mannerheim and especially in Minister Tanner. Latter is stated to be reconsidering possibility of resigning but does not yet know his own mind while Pekkala, Minister of Finance, is reported as intending to resign if tenor of Finnish answer to British note is not in accordance with his views. Pekkala, I understand, is not prepared to admit that Finland’s answer will necessarily be unsatisfactory to him, but is stated to have asserted that food situation in Finland will probably be most important factor in Finland’s decision. Pekkala is stated to be skeptical as to whether Germany will even be able to deliver quantities of grain promised in connection with Finland’s recent adherence to Anti-Comintern Pact.

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I learn that Pekkala feels his own effort to secure satisfactory answer to the British note would be strengthened if he were able to learn whether Russians would be prepared to evacuate Hango in event of armistice which he is stated to have said would have an enormous bearing on situation.

Foregoing comes to me indirectly from Pekkala.

Schoenfeld
  1. This telegram was shown to Sir Anthony Rumbold of the British Embassy in Washington for “whatever the British Government might consider it worth” but without any suggestion of “what course of action should be followed by his Government.”↩
  2. Neither printed.↩